Agenda for the Informal Meeting of TT-RWH (69 th IEC)

Transcription

1 AGENDA FOR THE INFORMAL MEETING OF THE TASK TEAM ON RAINWATER HARVESTING (TT-RWH) 13 August 2018, hours Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada Strategy Theme: Scheme Presented by the Chairman TT-RWH Agenda Item 1: Introduction of the new Task Team 1. In January 2018, Mr. Bryan Ward, Chief Executive Officer, Irrigation Australia Limited (IAL) has informed the interest of Irrigation Australia s Committee on Irrigation and Drainage (IACID) about the establishment of a new Task Team on Rainwater Harvesting. In this regard, they have prepared and submitted the Concept Note for the establishment of the new Task Team with the help of Rainwater Harvesting Committee and IACID. Chair will provide further updates at the meeting. 2. The draft Concept note for the establishment of the new Task Team on Rainwater Harvesting (TT-RWH) was put up to Management Board (MB) for its approval. During the 2 nd (Virtual) meeting of Management Board (MB- 2/18) held on 5 July 2018 at hours, the MB considered the proposal to establish a TT-RWH, together with its context and relevance, objectives and mandate presented through the concept note (Annex) submitted by Mr. Bryan Ward (Australia). TT-RWH Agenda Item 2: Establishment of the new Task Team discussion by the TT 3. During the virtual meeting of MB, PH Dr. Nairizi was of the view that as the management of rain water for agricultural production is an important issue, the TT may be renamed appropriately to reflect this aspect. It was decided that the suggestion will be passed on to the TT after its constitution for consideration of inclusion in their agenda. Similarly, VPH Dr. Ding Kunlun has suggested that the various issues such as demand, principles of RWH and the technics of planning, design, construction, forms and materials of the catchment areas, storage facilitates, water quality treatment and water applying tools and systems may be considered by TT before deciding its areas of activities. He envisaged that RWH Codes of Practices could be one of the products of TT. The MB also noted that RWH has been part of ICID Vision 2030 and yet, no workbody of ICID presently deals with this important topic. MB therefore accepted the proposal of IACID to establish a Task Team on Rain Water Harvesting (TT-RWH) and approved its mandate and composition as follows- Mandate: (a) (b) (c) Promote rainwater harvesting as a natural, local, efficient source of water in accordance with the Key Principles of Rainwater Harvesting. Provide research and advice from a range of disciplines to inform rainwater harvesting, irrigation and agricultural practices including water management, land use planning, policy environments, stormwater management and manufacturing. Provide Rainwater Harvesting Codes of Practice suitable for urban and agricultural use. Composition: 1. Mr. Geoff Harvey (Australia) - Chairman 2. Mr. Michael Smit (Australia) - Member 3. Ms. Kathleen Heuvel Young Professional (Australia) - Member 4. Dr. A.K. Randev, Chairman, Working Group on Sustainable On-farm Irrigation System Development (India) - Member 5. VPH Dr. R. Ragab, Chairman, Working Group on Water and Crops (UK) - Member 1

2 6. Ms. Mary Jean Gabriel, Chair, Working Group on Irrigation Development and Management (South Africa) - Member 7. Mr. Warren Helgason (Canada) - Member 8. Mr. Bashu Dev Lohanee (Nepal) - Member 9. Er. Ashwin B Pandya, Secretary General, ICID - Member 4. ICID Central Office vide its notification no.13 dated 14 July 2018 has notified about the establishment of the new Task Team on Rainwater Harvesting to the National Committees and members of the TT. The Chair may discuss the mandate and composition of the task team with the members present and finalize its mandate keeping in view the suggestions of the MB (para 3) during the meeting. TT may also review and for additional experts in the field who could be invited to join/ participate the TT. TT-RWH Agenda Item 3: Work plan for the activities of Task Team 5. TT will deliberate on the mandate, its output and accordingly will prepare a three-year work plan and submit its report to Permanent Committee for Technical Activities (PCTA) in Canada meeting. TT-RWH Agenda Item 4: Any other business 6. Mr. Momir Vranes, Chair of IACID has informed that Dr. Puspa Raj Khanal, FAO Lead Technical Officer (Regional Office for Asia and Pacific, Bangkok) has shown the interest in joining the task team and suggested to include Dr. Khanal as FAO representative in the composition. NOTES FOR CHAIRPERSON: 1. Draft minutes of this meeting to be submitted to ICID Secretariat at Saskatoon, Canada after the meeting. 2. Chair to participate and present the WG report to PCTA meeting on 16 August

3 Annex TASK TEAM ON RAINWATER HARVESTING (TT-RWH) CONCEPT NOTE 1. Introduction 1.1. This concept note proposes a context, mandate and key principles for an ICID Rainwater Harvesting Task Team This document deals with rainwater harvesting in the context of the harvesting rainwater from nontrafficable roof and roof-like structures. This is deliberatively a narrow context in which harvested water can be used for many purposes with minimal treatment. It is inherently different to stormwater harvesting and water/runoff harvested from agricultural and other catchments. The second part of the definition refers to passive rainwater harvesting which is harvesting rainwater into groundwater at a small catchment scale rather than into a dam or other storage Definitions (from ARCSA) (a) (b) Rainwater Harvesting is rainwater collected from a roof into a container Passive rainwater harvesting is the collection and infiltration of rainwater into the ground for beneficial uses without intermediate storage in a container The underlying objective of the concept note and the task team is promoting a sustainable approach to water management considering all elements of the system. Rainwater harvesting is a natural source of water that can be assessed as one of a range of water sources. Rainwater harvesting also has important implications for drainage and urban stormwater management A key principle of sustainable development is working in unison with the earth s natural systems rather than in opposition to them. Natural systems are decentralised and use minimal amounts of energy and resources to achieve balanced growth and are therefore inherently efficient but not necessarily the most productive. Systems Analysis reveals that the desirable environmental outcomes are usually the best long-term economic outcome High energy, chemical and water use diminishes natural capital and does not represent long term economic growth. Unrestricted and unbalanced growth and development results in widespread loss of natural systems with catastrophic implications for future human health and safety Rainwater harvesting is a practical and accessible form of working with natural systems that provides high quality water and should be rapidly and universally adopted as the first and most efficient element of integrated water cycle management. 2. Context and Relevance for ICID 2.1. The ICID mission is to Facilitate prudent agriculture water management by encouraging interdisciplinary approaches to irrigation and drainage management. Rainwater Harvesting is directly relevant to action items A3, A5, A7, B1, B4, b5, B6, B7, C1, C2, C3, C4, C5, D1, D4, E3, E6, F1, F4 and F5 of the ICID Action Plan Strategies and Actions Passive rainwater harvesting is an important source of water for most agriculture and improved agricultural management can lead to linked improvements in water efficiency, soil quality, pasture 3

4 and crop quality and yield and reductions in chemical use. Important proponents of this work include Massy (2018), Mollison and Holmgren (1970) etc Urban rainwater harvesting is inherently efficient. Rainwater falls on the roof of the building where it is needed, minimising transport and treatment costs. Urban areas have high water demands and produce large volumes of harvested rainwater which, if not utilised, represent a flooding risk. A combination of rainwater and centralised water sources allows utilisation of local, low volume storage cheap rainwater first with longer term water security from more expensive treated water from long term storages Rainwater Harvesting is relevant to many forms of agriculture and utilising this natural source of water close to urban areas has the potential for increased efficiencies. 3. Objectives and Mandate The Rainwater Harvesting Task Team will: 3.1. Promote rainwater harvesting as a natural, local, efficient source of water in accordance with the Key Principles of Rainwater Harvesting in Appendix Provide research and advice from a range of disciplines to inform rainwater harvesting, irrigation and agricultural practices including water management, land use planning, policy environments, stormwater management and manufacturing Provide Rainwater Harvesting Codes of Practice suitable for urban and agricultural use. 4. Work Plan 3 Years 4.1. Establish working relationships and disseminate key rainwater harvesting research in the broader ICID network Research and publish a Rainwater Harvesting Code of Practice suitable for use in Irrigation and Drainage Provide Rainwater Harvesting training for urban water users and urban stormwater (drainage) managers and agricultural water users. 4

5 Appendix CONCEPT NOTE Key Rainwater Harvesting Principles 1.1. Rainwater can be used locally, making it a natural, sustainable, cost efficient resource.or Rainwater falls on the buildings and land where it can be used, making it a sustainable, cost efficient water source Rainwater harvesting is a natural, local, efficient source of water for water management systems including irrigation and provides drainage and stormwater benefits Rainwater harvesting is particularly suited to urban areas where there is high potential for harvesting and rainwater harvesting reduces damage urban flooding and water quality deterioration. Using rainwater harvesting in combination with a central supply has a synergistic efficiency. Rainwater harvesting is an important tool in drainage, stormwater and flood management 1.4. Integrated water cycle management models that supports and benefits from natural systems provide long term economic and environmental benefits 1.5. Rainwater harvesting is a significant source of high-quality water in both rural and urban areas. Plants respond better to rainfall than any other water source Water management must be considered in the context of integrated water cycle management, understanding the water cycle through the natural and man-made landscape and considering the whole system. In this context rainwater harvesting is the first and most efficient element of an integrated water cycle management approach A systems approach to integrated water cycle management will use rainwater harvesting first and then combine it with other water sources and applications considering how they impact on the wider system. For example, a farm may take into account rainwater first, collect rainwater runoff into local dams for secondary use, use an allocation from a local waterway and supplement that with sustainable groundwater use Rainfall frequency is consistently underestimated by water professionals. It is essential to consider daily rainfall records over several decades and to understand the importance of small rain events in rainwater harvesting. The most common error is to rely on averages Rainwater Harvesting research and practices promoted and influenced by organisations selling other forms of water or funded by them are often unreliable, particularly in terms of health, cost and rainwater reliability. Independent research and local knowledge should be sought out Harvested rainwater, used locally, may preclude this rainwater providing ecological benefits elsewhere in the hydrologic system. Rainwater storage can still result in catchment flows with delayed runoff into the catchment. Using rainwater for irrigation will also have downstream benefits for the catchment. 5